Spring-catch for lamps, &amp;c.



H. E. HARBAUGH.

SPRING CATCH FOR LAMPS, 6w. APPLICATION rum) $13 124. 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

THE NORRIS Pzrsns cm, WASHINGT ilNjtTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD E. HARBAUGH, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BADGER BRASSMFG. (30., O1! .KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATlON OF WISCONSIN.

SPRING-CATCH FOR LAMPS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 24, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 454,506:

To all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD E. Ham BAUGH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kenosha, in the county of lienosha and State of YVisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Catches forLamps, &c., of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to spring catches for lamp doors and the like,and it has for its salient objects to provide a construction which maybe formed wholly or substantially of spring wire, which will beextremely compact and of such configuration or shape that it will liealong the joint of connection between the two parts which are to belatched together without presenting prominent p rojcctions, especiallywhen in closed or latched position; to provide a construction in whichthe latch members are under constant holding tension when closed, thuspreventing rattling; to provide a construction in which the necessaryflexing of the members of the latch in the opening and closing movementsof the latter is distributed over a substantial length of wire, thuspreventing the straining of the latter beyond its elastic limit; and ingeneral, to provide a simple and improved mechanism of the characterreferred to.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portionof a headlight or lamp body equipped with a preferred embodiment of theinvention; Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section through the latchmechanism and the portions of the lamp body to which it is attached; theparts being shown on a scale larger than that of Fig. 1 and the latchmechanism being partly opened or in .its intermediate position; Fig. 3is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 showing the latch mechanism fullyclosed; Fig. 4 is a view taken approximately on line 4- 1: of Fig. 3 andlooking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a detail of the catchmember dctached.

Referring to the drawings mounted upon the door 1 to extend along theedge of the latter are two thiinbles, as 2, 2, each of substantiallength and of such internal diameter as to receive loosely the ends of alength of wire, designated as a whole 3. Said wire approximately iitsthe thimbles but is free to rotate therein, and is held against endwiscmovement, conveniently by slightly riveting over the ends thereof at theremote ends of the thimbles, as indicated at 4. The wire is exposed fora considerablelength of its central portion, and in this exposed portionis formed an integral elongated loop 5, the sides of which are broughttogether and into contact at the points where the loop joins thestraight portions of the wire and surrounded by a collar (5, which isalso shown as formed of wire simply bent into ring form. The main bodyof the loop is bent approximately at right angles to the contracted portion embraced by the collar 6; the bends, designated 7 in the drawing,being approximately coincident with the portions of the loop which aredeflected away from each other, thereby forming shoulders S, 8, (seeFig. 4;) located cccentrically of, or radially remote from, the axis ofthe main length of the wire, 4.. e. the axis of the thimbles. Forconvenience of grasping, the extremity of the loop is turned outwardly,as indicated at 9.

The cooperating latch member, designated as a whole 10, consistspreferably of a length of wire having two alined extensions 11 whichextend along the margin of the body and are soldered or otherwisesecured to the interior of the latter, and an intermediate integraldoubled portion forming a lug 12 which extends out through a suitableaperture in the body casing and has its outer end portion 13 bentapproximately at right angles, as seen clearly in Fig. 3. The lug 12extends somewhat obliquely outwardly from the body in such position thatits bent end will pass through the inner end of the looplatch 5 when thelatter is oscillated on its journals, and the inner face 14 of theextremity of this angular portion constitutes a strike portion whichprojects slightly into the path of movement of the strike portions orshoulders S, S, of the latter when said journaled member is rotated onits pintles. The inner angle 15 of the hook-shaped catch is so shaped asto constitute in effect a recess which receives and holds the strikeportion of the loop when the parts are in closed position; the partsbeing preferably under slight spring tension after being fully entered,so as to prevent rattling of the door.

The operation of the device is obvious from the foregoing, but it is tobe noted that the spring action, which is depended upon for permittingthe parts to pass into and out of latched engagement, resides chiei'lyii the straight exposed parts of the pintle portions 3, although thecatch-hook also doubtless yields slightly.

The catch is of peculiar adaptability to receptacles which have a doorforming one side thereof, as for example the lamp body shown, in whichcase the latch mechanism extends along the meeting edges of the body anddoor, and may not only be made to simulate the hinge at the oppositeedge of the door but projects but little more than a hinge when inlatched position.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the inventionfully attains the several objects hereinbefore recited.

The invention may, of course, be somewhat modified to adapt it tovarious applications without in any sense departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a latch mechanism, a movable member formed ofresilient wire and comprising alined pintlelike journal portions, spacedapart journal supports therefor, a loop formed integrally with the intermediate portion of said movable member to extend radially therefrom andhaving its side portions brought together to form at the radially innerend of the loop, a strike portion located eccentrically of the axis ofrotation of the member, and an angular catchhook, the free end of whichconstitutes a strike portion, fixedly mounted with said strike portionprojecting into the arc-shaped path of movement of the strike portion ofthe movable member and with its inner angle arranged to receive and hookover said latter portion when in latched position.

2. In combination with a receptacle pro vided with a hinged door, alatch mechanism embodying a movable member formed of re ilient wire andcomprising alined pintle-like journal portions, spaced apart journalthimbles mounted upon one member of the receptacle and receiving theextremities of said pintle-like journal portions, a loop formedintegrally with the intermediate unsupported portion of said movablemember, arranged to extend radially therefrom and having its sideportions deflected toward each other contiguous to their union with thepintle extensions to form at the radially inner end of the loop, astrike portion located eccentrically of the axis of rotation of saidlmember, means rigidly uniting the sides of said loop contiguous to thestrike portion thereof, and an angular catch-hook fixedly mounted uponthe other member of said receptacle and arranged to project therefrom inposition to pass through the loop when the door is in closed position,the angular extremity of said catch member being arranged to normallyproject into the oscillatory path of movement of the strike portion ofthe journaled member and being formed into hook-shape to hook over saidlatter strike portion when in closed position.

A latch mechanism comprising a movable member formed of resilient metaland provided with spaced-apart, alined journals and a catch-engagingprojection between said journals, the strike portion of which isradially remote from, or eccentric to, the axis of the member, a collararound said catch-engaging projection, and an angular catch hook, thestrike portion of which is inclined to project into the arcshaped path.of the strike portion of the movable member and the inner angle of whichreceives and hooks over said latter strike portion when in latchedposit-ion.

HOWARD E. HARBAUGH. lvitnesses:

CrrARLEs A. TARBELL, MARTHA SOHUMAOHER.

